No Spray Coalition News Flash -- APRIL 12, 2002
Toxified City Residents Catch a Break
Congratulations! The City opened the bids this morning for aerial pesticide
spraying. Lo and behold - NO ONE SUBMITTED BIDS!
We believe that this was due to all the pressure brought to bear on spraying
companies by the No Spray Coalition, New York Environmental Law & Justice
Project, and other activists through lawsuits, protests, publicity and the
possibility of heavy fines, such as the $1 million fine against Clarke
Environmental that we fought for and won last year. Companies, we've been
told, simply felt it "wasn't worth it" to bid for the aerial spraying
contract. One company submitted a bid for larviciding sewers and such.
Chalk up a much needed victory for our side.
The City could, however, reschedule bidding or attempt to pilot the
helicopters on its own - an unlikely scenario, but not totally out of the
question since the DOH wants to spray us this year with Scourge (Resmethrin
+ piperonyl butoxide + "inerts"). The Department of Health resorted to
having the Sanitation Dept. spray us with Anvil (Sumithrin +) last year. No
official word yet on what was spent monetarily nor the health and
environmental consequences.
In a city that has had its share of toxic overload and is trying to pare its
budget, removing the millions of dollars of unnecessary and indiscriminate
pesticide spraying would be a step in the right direction.
Meanwhile, the No Spray lawsuit moves forward. Both sides are filing motions
for summary judgment, and the Judge has scheduled a "settlement conference"
for next week.
The Mayor, thus far, has not responded to our requests to meet with him.
Please check the hotline at (718) 670-7110 for updates.
Finally, for those who will be at the Socialist Scholars Conference this
weekend at Cooper Union in Manhattan, Mitchel will be speaking about Anthrax
at a workshop on Sunday, April 14, 1:30 pm, Foundation Building room 312.
This is a terrific panel sponsored by the radical philosophy association, on
"State Terrorism and Terrorizing Dissent." Hope you can come! Tariq Ali is
speaking on an opening panel TONIGHT (Friday), and again at the Brecht Forum
on Sunday afternoon at 4 pm.
- Mitchel Cohen, for the
No Spray Coalition
No Spray Coalition
PO Box 334
Peck Slip Station
NYC 10272
Hotline: (718) 670-7110
website: www.nospray.org
listserve: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The No Spray Coalition is funded solely by its activist base. Please
contribute what you can to help sustain these efforts. Thank you.
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